Underfloor insulation is one of the major
insulation projects for your home, if you haven’t done it yet. The floor is one
of the most neglected house part that’s either under-insulated or none at all.
(The other major parts that need insulation is your ceiling and your walls).
This is especially true to inherited (pre-owned properties) houses.
To
have it done, you need a professional installer to do the job as well as it should
be, even if you need to spend quite an amount. (You can get some financial help
if you don’t have the budget as yet.) The one time expense is compensated
enough not just in keeping your place but in reducing your energy bills
afterwards for good.
Building codes
Like
in most instances ion insulation projects, your installer will inform you of
the necessity to follow the building codes in your area before any changes are
to be made. You need to ensure that the minimum u-value (standard thermal
performance measure) is achieved, and you need to minimize the risk of fire.
You
can have your installer (if you job it out) to get the official advice of
building control officers in your locality before driving any nail to avoid
alterations and possible fines, which are unnecessary.
Type
Your
installer will find out for you the exact type of your floor and will do the
right recommendations. Your basement might have wooden joists and other parts
of the floor’s underside. This might show you your house might have a suspended
timber floor.
If
this is the case, you are most likely to have a floor type that has ventilation
bricks on the outside of your house below the floor level. You might need to
lift the corner of the carpet and the underlay if you can’t access the
underneath surface of your floor.
Timber
With
timber floors, you need to repair first anything damaged by the damp, rot or
infestation. If the floor is atop an unheated cellar, fit the insulation
tightly between the joists and the secure the netting should it be necessary.
Fixing
the plasterboard to the basement’s ceiling is to allow fire resistance. If is
not possible to enter the floor from below, the floorboards have to be taken up
to fit the insulation.
Concrete
Your
rooms can warm up faster if the insulation is over the slabs. Have the
thickness of the insulation to a minimum to reduce costly alterations on doors
and stairs (and other affected parts) due to the increase of the floor height.
Insulating
the floor underneath the concrete can help regulate the temperature (and
overheating as well) especially in rooms facing south or are occupied for long.
This is due to the thermal mass of the concrete materials.
You
might also need an added damp-proof membrane if you have one and it needs to be
placed above the slabs. The idea is to protect it from ground contaminants. Underfloor insulation is not much very difficult to install. If you are a carpenter, you
can do it yourself and save some.
Comments
Post a Comment